Claws's Duty
by Gree
Summary: Basiclus and the Eagle Claws arrive at Sarfenus Prime, a vital Imperial world, fresh from his trial the Captain plunges into a bloody three way war between the Imperium, Orks and the Eldar. Sequel to Claws's Glory. Reviews welcomed.
1. Ultimatium

**Author's Notes: This is the start of my third Claws story. This one however will have no Tau, I'm focusing on Orks and Eldar for now. This story I am really excited to write this one. It's the entire chapter! Or close to it anyway.**

**The Craftworld Lyssari is not my own invention, it is created by TheLoneHunter and used with his full permission and approval. This is my own take on it.**

**The Craftworld and it's warriors will show up in Battlegrounds V: Blood of the Ancients. (Hopefully, I have no idea when it's going to come out, I just got the permission to use it)**

**Alright then, enjoy.**

* * *

**Claws's Duty**

**Chapter 1-Gathering of Eagles**

* * *

_**Aquila Rex-**_**Room of Judgment**

The battle barge _Aquila Rex_ was old, her hull first struck on Mars in the days of the Great Crusade ten thousand years ago, originally commissioned for the Ultramarines Legion to serve in the Great Crusade. And it did so well, it had fought hard in the Great Crusade, then in the Horus Heresy, when the legions where broken up into chapters, the _Aquila Rex_ had served with the Eagle Warriors chapter for millennia.

When the Eagle Claws chapter had been founded, the _Aquila Rex_ had been given to the new chapter as their flagship. Indeed, the venerable ship had served excellently in that role for almost six millennia. And now it was hovering over the Imperial world of Striel Gloria, a major hive world that manufactured arms and equipment for the Imperial Guard in the surrounding systems.

Right now the elements of the Second and Third Crusade armies where being marshaled by Grand Marshal Dygos, who had served at the behest of the Warmaster in order to prepare the crusade to another push into enemy space Right now, this is where the Eagle Claws chapter fleet was gathered, multiple strike cruisers along with the _Sword of the Emperor_, and the _Aquila Rex_, along with well over a dozen escort vessels, all of them painted in the purple and grey of the Eagle Claws.

Basiclus was stripped of his armor and led to the Room of Judgment, an ancient room that had long since decided the fate of penitents in the chapter, a tradition stretching back to the very founding days. As with many other Astartes chapters, there where little formal exact guidelines for Trials, but the most common method, favored by the vast majority of Chapters, was a simply Trial by peers.

The Second Captain himself was now in a black penitents robe, unmarked, he stood now in the middle of the gargantuan room, standing stock-still in front of the captains.

The room was a hundred feet long , perfectly symmetrical, with statues of famous chapter heroes looking down upon him. Frescoes of famous battles the Eagle Claws had participated in looked down upon him.

Basiclus recognized a few scenes that where his own.

He had been escorted here by Chapter Master Garuda's Honor Guard, giant figures in ornate artificer armor, the Chapter's elite, carrying ornate power halberds and eagle-headed boltguns. Chosen from the finest veterans in thee entire chapter, they served as the Chapter Master's bodyguard and consoled him in times of war, they also enforced his will among the chapter.

Basiclus had been taken and presented before the Chapter Master and the rest of his peers, the other company captains and senior sergeants of the chapter, all of them seated in the high podiums. Chapter Master Garuda was there. His form and face hidden by a large gold cloak, the rest of his peers also wore silver-colored cloaks. The gold shroud signified the Chapter Master's role as chief judge.

They brought him here, along with Kommneus, who was dressed in the deep white of the Prosecutor. He then hurled accusations at Basiclus, who stood silently, waiting for his turn.

It arrived.

''Julian Basiclus,'' Garuda spoke, his voice deep and rumbling, like a volcano. ''Do you understand the accusations leveled against you?''

''I do, my lord.'' Basiclus answered.

''Incompetence, willful disregard for the lives of your brothers, and reckless command.''

''I recognize it.'' Basiclus replied.

''Let us start with the first, I do not understand why ''Incompetence'' is leveled against me.''

There was clinking, as data-slaves where reviewed.

''You where on the attack far too often without proper reconnaissance.'' Garuda returned.

''I point out in the initial landings at Dalu, and then at Traknor, my initial scout squads at Dalu city itself did not encounter much else besides corpses before they where assaulted''

''The Daemonic?''

''Yes, I severely doubt that the enemy would bother to show themselves so easily like that.''

''And Karovioa Primaris?''

''Occupied, such a reconnaissance would be hard, we already took orbital shots of the city.''

''But on the second charge is believed to stem from this, you disregarded your brothers, the casualty lists speak to that.'' He said.

''Let us review, Fifty two brothers slain, along with a hundred and thirty eight wounded in some shape way or form.'' the voice continued.

''More however, our Brother Captain Lakaris is wounded and being placed within a holy Dreadnought.'' he stated.

''What do you have to say to this?'' Garuda asked.

Basiclus took a deep breath. ''Brothers you all know that it is inevitable that some deaths will occur in wartime,'' he said. ''Does not the codex itself state ''The mind of an Astartes should always welcome death as an old friend? Indeed, that is how we all shall end our days.'' he stated.

''But not as such a heavy price.'' Garuda replied.

''Ah, I was getting there, did you all review the helmet longs from the members of my strike force?'' he asked. Their was a rumble of assent.

''Now you know, the Tau are formidable opponents correct? Who are not to be underestimated? They possessed lethal weapons.'' Basiclus stated.

Another voice came, the voice of Antigonus, his rival. ''Inexperience is no excuse, you where given extensive combat data about the xenos and given ample time to run a simulations.''

''I make no excuse for that, I recognize that fact, but that is not my point.'' Basiclus shot back.

''Your point brother?'' Garuda questioned. ''Please explain.''

''Gladly my lord, if the Tau presented such a formidable opposition to us, can you imagine how it was for the Guard?'' Basiclus asked.

''The affairs of the Guard do not concern us here.'' Garuda replied.

''I believe they do, you see the Guard was my entire point.'' Basiclus said.

''You have all known how rich Karovioa was in natural resources. Minerals? Vespane gasses? That could supply the entire sub-sector, it is vital for the Crusade.''

''We know that,'' Antigonus again. ''What is your point?'' he asked.

''My point is that I did what I had to do.''

''Ordering the 5th into a prolonged siege?'' Garuda asked.

''It was the only way that the fort could be held, you saw Traknor Minoris, the Elysians where overwhelmed,'' He stated. ''And without victory there, we would not have won greater victory at Karovioa.'' he said.

''The Guard could have done it on their own,'' Garuda pointed out.

''Maybe, maybe not,'' Basiclus countered. ''What I do know is that the Imperium needed those minerals, and those factories to springboard another offensive, millions of guardsmen where saved by my decisions.'' He said.

''You overestimate your importance.'' Antigonus threw back at him.

''I do not, without the death of their Ethereal, the Tau would have held the city, the Guard would have faced more fighting, they might not have even held on to their gains very well.'' The Second stated.

''But that's not my point.'' he said.

He looked up at the cloaked figures.

''We serve the Imperium, not ourselves, every brother here should be prepared to lay down their lives in service to the Imperium, that is what we are created for, to fight and die so that the Imperium may live another day.'' he started off.

''We must do this because we are the Sons of the Emperor, if we did not we would be little better than parasites and pirates, we have received much in return from the Imperium, our planet, foodstuffs send to the chapter, maintenance of our technology.'' he continued.

''Our very blood if that of Guilliman who willingly took away his own power in order to protect the Imperium from those who would place their own glory over that of the Emperor.'' he recalled.

''The moment one puts his own destiny over that of the Emperor's, then that one is a traitor and a coward. I have no respect for those who would do that over the Emperor's will.'' he commented.

''You hypocrite,'' Antigonus sneered. ''Your whole behavior has been nothing but to gain glory for yourself, we know of your reputation.'' he accused.

''I hardly care what you think of me brother,'' Basiclus said. ''Only the Emperor's opinion matters in the end,'' he shrugged. ''Go ahead, strip me of my command, when I die I know the Emperor will judge correctly.''

''Did I launch assaults that occurred heavier than usual casualties? Yes. Would they have been lesser had I taken more time? Maybe. Should I have taken the time? No, there was no time for the Crusade.'' he spoke.

''I have reviewed my actions and I am satisfied with them, Guilliman and the Emperor willing, I would do it again.'' he stated.

There was rumbling among the Captains and officers. It continued for almost a minute before the gold-cloaked chapter master ordered them to be quiet. Garuda turned to Basiclus.

''Is that it for your defense?'' he said.

The Second Captain nodded. ''I place my fate in your hands my lord, as well as the Emperor and the Blessed Primarch.'' he stated.

''Then leave, take him back to his quarters,'' Garuda spoke to his Honor Guard,'' We will deliberate his fate.'' he commanded.

Rapidly the two ornately armored warriors gestured to Basiclus. Quietly the Captain followed, head held high as he was led out of the Room of Judgment. The doors closed behind him.

He was led back to his temporary quarters on the _Aquila Rex_. The doors where again shut behind him, as he walked into the bare, mediation cell aboard the great battlebarge. It was a far cry from his quarters, but it would do. He had only hope that his plea had convinced the Chapter Master to see his side of things. He had no desire to lose his rank.

He assured himself that he was right, that there was no fault to his words. He assured himself that he did it selflessly. But yet, there was a nagging voice at the back of his mind that whispered thoughts of ambition. It accused him or wronging and hypocrisy, of ambition beyond his station. He walked over to the bed and sat down, closing his eyes, drowning the voice out. He could not let that get to him.

He closed his eyes, slowing his breathing. Adopting a familiar mediation that was outlined in the Codex, one designed to assure a warrior assailed by self doubt when a chaplain was not available.

_I am the rock_ he thought as he began the familiar mantra.

_I am the rock_

_I am the rock_

_I am the rock_, he thought, as he drifted off into sleep.

* * *

**Two hours later**

A harsh knocking awoke him, as the Honor Guard entered, their faces helmeted and masked, both of them clutching their weapons as they hauled him to his feet.

''It's time,'' one of them said. Basiclus bowed his head. ''Alright.'' he responded, before lifting it up again. He could feel his primary heart beating in anticipation. What was the verdict?

He walked back to the Room of Judgment, the hallways empty of his brothers, but alive with the presence of the various frescos, carvings and busts of the Chapter that decorated it. Then he came back to the room, the great double doors engraved with the Chapter symbol opening, letting the golden light fall out as the Second Captain walked into meet his fate.

Garuda was there, his face hidden by his gold cloak, while a wave of silver-clad Astartes clustered behind him. Kommneus was to the side, still in his white cloak.

''Julian Basiclus.'' he rumbled.

''Are you prepared to receive your punishment?'' he asked.

Basiclus nodded. He had failed. ''Yes my lord.''

''Good.'' Garuda sucked in his breath.

''You have been cleared of all wrongdoing, your captaincy and command are retained, you are to receive battle honors for Karovioa, the Company Banner of the Second will also receive your praise along with the Fifth and Seventh.'' he said.

Basiclus was pleasantly surprised, he had not expected to get off this lightly. ''My lord I-''

''I am not finished,'' Garuda interrupted him. ''As insisted from Kommneus, you are to personally carve the names of the honored dead into the Hall of Heroes on the _Aquila Rex_, and then do so again when we return to Asclepieion, do you understand Second Captain?'' he asked.

So their still was a punishment, a minor one, but a mark of humility nonevertheless, Basiclus kept his emotions tight. ''Yes my lord.'' he said.

Garuda took off his gold cloak, revealing his light brown hair, graying at the temples, and strong, bulldog features and blue eyes. A quartet of gold service studs rested on his left brow, while a tattoo of a golden eagle stretched over his right.

The rest of the accusers threw back their cloaks, revealing their features one by one.

''Welcome back brother.'' Chapter Master Marcus Garuda said with a smile.

* * *

**Monument of Honor-**_**Aquila Rex**_**-Six days later**

The carving laser in Basiclus's power armored hand whined as he finished carving the full name and title of Lakaris into the marble of the Monument of Honor, right along with the rest of the slain company sergeants. It was a huge thing, standing almost sixty feet tall and two hundred feet down, blazing with six centuries worth of names. The entire hallway was lined with marble and terracota statues of those who now had their names carved into the marble slab.

The monument was the on-board ship's tribute to the various company captains and senior sergeants who had gave their lives in the service of the Emperor and Primarch, only the ranking Astartes where permitted here, the common Brothers would take up too much space. Instead another monument, the Hall of Heroes, was present in the Castellum Aquila along with a copy of the Monument of Honor both engraved with the names of the honored dead, Basiclus was to complete that task when he retuned to Asclepieion But that was a long time in the future.

Lakaris was not truly dead, instead bound in a Dreadnought, implanted there by the Apothecaries and Techmarines even as Basiclus finished working. But he would never command again. In a sense he really was lost to the chapter, he now served even in death as an Honored Ancient in the Eagle Claws chapter, but he would never be truly the same again.

''Brother-Captain.'' a voice sounded respectfully behind him. He got up and turned around, seeing the two Honor guard of Garuda approach him, clutching their ornate Halberds.

''The War council is convening now.'' they said. This time with more dutiful respect in their voices. Basiclus smiled softly, it was now a far cry from a week ago with the cold, impersonal voices of jailers.

''Very well then, let us go.'' he said. Handing the carving laser to a nearby chapter serf. His armor was repaired by the Chapter's Techmarines and polished to a new shine, the purple and grey plate gleaming.

He wore a crimson cloak, and he had the relic sword of Solomon Herito belted by his side with a mag-link, he also carried a ceremonial bolt pistol. His helmet was still in the armory, he would not need it today. He followed them out of the room, the gold-chased white doors opening and admitting them into the darkly gothic hallways, arched with iron and silver, and covered with frescos and mosaics of past Chapter victories.

Then they came to the Council room.

It was one of the ship's smaller rooms, thirty meters by twenty meters, but still large enough to fit the marines easily. Basiclus and his escort rounded the end of a long, marble-floored hallway. Great eagles made of gold embossed the ceiling, countless scenes where carved into the tiles on the floor. Basiclus knew they where the names of the founding members of the Chapter.

The doors themselves bore the emblem of a large white upside down omega symbol. The symbol of the Ultramarines chapter, the primogenitor chapter of the Eagle Claws and whom this battle barge had originally belonged. The Eagle Warriors had retained it out of respect to their primogenitor and the Eagle Claws also followed the tradition and retained it out of respect for their august forbearers.

Footsteps followed behind him, Basiclus glanced to see several more figures come behind him. Antigonus, with his short blonde hair and polished artificer plate, glanced at his briefly, but betrayed no emotion.

Pullo, the smiling captain, waved at him. Basiclus grinned back and nodded. His old squadmate was always a staunch ally. The silent killer Torador also came behind, his face frozen with a grin of anticipation. Torador was the Master of Recruits, a peerless trainer, he had trained entire generations of Eagle Claws for duty, he was highly skilled and regarded within the chapter for his exploits against the Orks and Tyranids.

Venatius, the old warhorse, came next. His face was leathery and dark as hardwood, his black eyes stared out grimly, a pair of scars arcing over his right eye, and a large scar coming across his throat. Venatius was over four centuries old and one of the oldest warriors in the Eagle Claws. While he may have not been the best fighter, or the most brilliant tactician, but his sheer experience and charisma was respected.

Karus, the dog-faced captain with hooded grey eyes also kept pace quietly. The commander of the 8th Company, he was a man of few words, speaking rarely. It was no wonder his brothers referred to him as ''Granite''

Yalvian followed, servitors whirling. His bionic implants covered his left eye and lower face, his head was hairless and covered with burn scars as his cold, metallic gaze flickered back and forth. The senior sergeant of the 9th company was more machine than marine. It seemed he should have belonged in the Techmarines, if not for his unrivaled passion for the big guns. Indeed, it was his only passion.

Then, last, but not least, came Naecolus. Naecolus the great hero-captain. The Captain of the First Company was one of the most renowned warriors and leader in the chapter with close onto three centuries of experience. However he had no desire to lead the Chapter, the captain of the veteran First Company was entirely content with the command of the veteran company. He had claimed that leadership of the Chapter was far too much stress for him. He had found his share of glory.

His face was bald, with three gold service studs, and a large metal plate covering his left jaw and cheek where a ork chainblade had wounded him almost two centuries ago. His eyes where green and intelligent looking. He was clad in power armor this time.

Kommneus was not here, he had departed four days ago with the 5th and 7th where Captain Domitian rested with half of the 9th company and half of the 10th to hold the fortress.

Together, almost two hundred marines would garrison the Castellum Aquila while almost eight hundred marines went off to war. It was a rare feat for almost the entire chapter to go to war like this. Like most chapters the Eagle Claws rarely where able to retain a thousand marines, due to the constant flux of casualties and recruits. When one added support staff, scouts and commanders, things got murky.

The Captains walked into the room. The War Council was made of a dark iron that was polished to a bright sheen, sliver and gold banded the obsidian walls while grey marble pillars rose at each corner of the room.

At the center was a long, rounded rectangular table, made of Asclepieion oak and trimmed with gold inlaid. Seated there where the senior officers of the Chapter.

Master of the Forge Lekaue was seated, his servo harness removed, his respirator sounding quietly as the guardian of the Chapter' technology watched through an array of bionic lenses.

Chief Librarian Kassius sat calmly, blue eyes regarded them behind tanned, noble features, his jet black hair was pulled back into a tight scalp lock, unique among the mostly shaven Eagle Claws.

Master of Sanctity Patorius watched them sternly, his silver eagle plate bonded onto his forehead glinting in the soft illumination. His eyes and thin lips betrayed nothin. Basiclus avoided the look of his uncle's replacement.

Then Philostratus greeted them and their hearts leapt.

The Chief Apothecary gave them a friendly smile as he was seated at the far end of the table. He was short for a marine, and fairly unassuming. Yet all of the Eagle Claws felt nothing but respect and awe for this marine. Among the Eagle Claws nothing was more holy or redeeming than an Apothecary, the Chapter boasted more Apothecaries than any other chapter. They had dedicated themselves to genetic purity.

He was seated at the end of the oval table, showing that he alone had authority second to the Chapter Master. The Chief Apothecary, unusual among astartes chapters, alone held such authority.

Then the Chapter Master was there.

The great lord greeted them politely. Marcus Garuda was clad in an ornate suit of artificer armor. One shoulder pad carved to resemble a winged eagle claw, the other pad made to resemble a winged skull. A great, double headed eagle covered his chest, wings spread wide in glory. His armor was trimmed and gilded so heavily with gold it shone, giving him a terrible and beautiful aura. His features where strong, and commanding, with light brown hair graying at the temples, and strong blue eyes, his forehead was decorated with three golden service studs and the chapter tattoo.

Marcus Garuda, the great lord beloved by his men. The peerless tactician and fighter among the Eagle Claws. His deeds where a record to all in the chapter who looked up at him. He was aloof in personality, but his own aura of confidence and personal history could cause even the most fervent self-doubter to knell in respect to the Chapter Master of the Eagle Claws.

Marcus Garuda. Chapter Master of the Eagle Claws, Imperial commander, Governor of Asclepieion. Grand Duke of the Western Marches, King and Master of the tribes of Asclepieion, greeted them.

''It is good to see you brothers, sit please, we have much to discuss'' he commanded. And they all did so.

They each took their spots in the long rectangular table, Naecolus to the Chapter's Master's left, then Basiclus, then Antigonus, then Venatius, then Pullo, then Karus, Yalvian, and Toreador on the company side. The meeting table was effectively divided into two halves, the company captains on one, and the various other senior staff on the other side, while Philostratus stood at the opposite end of the rectangular table.

The remaining seats where usually reserved for guests of the Chapter. All of the chapter seats had a number in the case of the company captains, or the symbol of their office in the case of the others. Garuda's simply had the chapter symbol.

However three seats were empty. Kommneus, Lakaris and Domitian of the 9th where all empty. They would not be attending this war meeting. They where going back to Asclepieion.

Garuda pressed a panel underneath the table, immediately a section in the middle of the meeting table slid out and a small globe slide out from the center. A holo-screen then quickly projected the image of a planet, along with streams of information.

''Sarfenus Prime, the sub-sector capital,'' Garuda began. '' The population is scattered across the two main continents, main export is a variety of weapons from their factories and Daroot, a local plant that is useful in the construction of starship insulation lining.'' He said, pausing to let the information sink in.

The last bit seemed almost insignificant to Basiclus. Insulation lining? An entire world rested on that? And he was here to help save it? It seemed such a waste of time for his war talents.

But at least that was not all, other factories built weapons here, and he supposed someone had to make insulation lining for the Emperor's space-vessels. Quickly he tuned back in as Garuda spoke again.

''Most of the planet's population in concentrated in the four great cities, with multiple smaller communities.'' He continued. The screen changed again to show a large, hive-like city.

''These cities are essentially hives in their size and population, small ones, but hives noneverthless, they are the seat of power on Sarfenus.'' he stated.

''I assume they are under attack?'' asked Antigonus.

''Correct, Orks.'' the screen changed again, now was a series of numbers and characters, along with an image of a large flagship.

''Waaaggghh Grazsnik.'' he produced the thick orkish words with an awkward accent. Another press of the button and a hazy pict-imagine appeared of a massive ork warlord. The quality was poor, and the image was fuzzy, it had been taken at a distance evidently.

''Grazsnik has come to the attention of the Imperium recently, he was a major warlord in the Charadon sector that broke off and started his own Waaaggh elsewhere, the Ordo Xenos attempted to keep track of him for several years, but he disappeared into the Senta Minoris systems for several years.''

''He came back nine years ago, he launched an attack on there Imperial systems and razed them to the ground, he had officially launched his Waaaghh, so far he has not penetrated too far.'' he stated.

''However that changed when he came to Sarfenus, the political capital of the sub-sector and a major arms and starship parts producer, the loss of this world will be a severe blow to Imperial war operations.'' he stated.

''You have brought the entire chapter here? How big is this Waaaghh?'' Basiclus asked.

''Big enough.'' interjected Antigonus. Basiclus ignored him. How an ass like Antigonus became a company captain, he would never know.

''Massive, a huge fleet, three space hulks, two million orks at the very most conservative estimates, most likely much much more than that.'' he stated.

''Three million, my lord, we can kill their leaders, destroy their weapons factories, cripple their ability to make war, but even we cannot annihilate a horde such as this size.'' Basiclus said.

''That is why the Second Crusade army is coming under Grand Marshal Tormano, a half-million guardsmen coming to reinforce the PDF in their battle against the orks.'' he stated.

''How many PDF?'' Basiclus asked again.

''Looks like four million at the least, scattered greatly over the continents.'' Naecolus observed from the data.

''Yes, Julian, why don't you actually bother and look?'' Antigonus growled sarcastically.

''Shut up Alexander, I never liked holo presentations.'' shot back Basiclus. He was starting to feel the barbs.

''Silence both of you,'' Garuda intervened. He was starting to get exasperated as well. His calm façade was starting to slip. ''The tactics and training level is so far mostly unknown, but from preliminary assessments sent to me by Segmentum command, they range from moderately trained to tolerable, they have no fought in long.''

''As for equipment, most as you would expect from a factory world like this.'' he finished his assessment.

''Sororitas there, an I correct?'' Basiclus noted.

''A full Preceptory of the Sisters of the Bloodied Rose stationed on the planet, they have already begun war preparations.'' Garuda said.

''How soon are we coming, how long is Grazsnik expected to be there?'' Naecolus asked.

''He is to arrive in several days, if the estimations of the Imperial Navy are correct, we therefore, leave immediately.'' Garuda said. He turned to gaze to his brothers.

''We fight here brothers, we will not allow this world to fall, I brought this entire chapter here, not because of Basiclus's trial, but to combat this threat. This Crusade must continue, the current war operations of this Crusade cannot be comprised.''.

''We will fight, and if needed to we will die to protect this world, to slay the foul ork. Obviously none of us is aiming towards death, but we will make all sacrifice to hold this world.'' Garuda stated.

''The entire sub-sector is threatened here, along with the sector, we cannot lose Sarfenus. The greenskins have come to break it, but we have come to break them.''

* * *

**The Rafener-Palace of Sarfenus Prime**

Keeskay Sarven stared at the alien ambassador in disbelief as he coldly finished explaining the terms of his offer to the Elected Ruler of Sarfenus Prime, ruler by the grace of the God-Emperor. Sarfenus Prime was ruled by a cabal of powerful nobles who constantly fought against each other for economic dominance in the great cities. When it came to electing a Governor for the planet, they only intensified their efforts.

Annoyed by their lack of unity, the Administratum, after years of negotiations, came up with a solution. A member of the minor noble houses, neutral to the petty bickering, would lead. So it was, with every election a member of the minor merchant houses was elected by unanimous vote. That did not stop each of the noble houses from trying to convince the minor nobles from following their interests.

So it was, Keeskay Sarven, short and rounded, with balding blonde hair, forty-seven years old, and Head of House Sarven, found himself leader of an entire planet. Truth to be told, he expected this, although he regretted the sudden change in climate.

He was told he had done well by his advisors, plus polls maintained a comfortable 80% opinion that he was doing his job, the planet had recently engaged in a trade boom with the nearby sub-sectors. Countless travelers and merchants had come to trade with Sarfenus's textiles and factories.

All except this one.

Yesterday an alien vehicle had appeared in front of Sarfenus Alpha, the capital hive of the world. The PDF guards, allowed the traveler in, compelled somehow by some force that they eventually shook off. The aliens where soon discovered to be Eldar, as their airship swooped through the air defenses unharmed, they landed in the Governor's Palace. The alien ambassador had exited, requesting an audience.

Official Imperial doctrine was to refuse his offer immediately and shoot him, but Keeskay had no idea of what the Eldar would do to the death of their ambassador, so he ordered to see him.

The alien ambassador was cloaked and armored in wondrous intricate plate, his clothing covered in strange jewels and runes, his face masked by a tall, elegant helm with blue visor pieces. The Eldar's movements were extremely graceful and fluid. The way the ambassador and it's two masked attendants walked made the humans in the chamber feel slow and sluggish by comparison.

The ambassador had came, as Keeskay's security forces held back curious onlookers at the Rafener, the governor's palace, he had been escorted to the reception hallway of the

Rafener.

The governor sat, dressed in formal diplomatic robes, sitting in his reception chair, flanked by a multitude of advisors and bodyguards. Clusters of noble lords and ladies crowded the sides of the chamber. The reception chamber was quite large, over fifty meters long and with a large circular dome ceiling covering in frescoes made by some of Sarfenus's most famous artists and visionaries. Gold leaf covered the floor and walls.

Then the alien ambassador had strode in, cloaked and robed, followed by a pair of robed attendants who remained perfectly behind him, always maintaining a distance of three feet. The ambassador was silent as the governor announced himself.

Then he had laid his shocking message.

''This world is called Eilthean's Eye. You know it as Sarfenus'.' the alien spoke, his voice pronouncing the human words awkwardly.

''My name is not important, my message is,'' he said, even as Keeskay began to inquire what he meant. ''This world is ours, a maiden world intended for future settlement for our race, as it was and always shall be.'' he claimed.

''Impossible!'' Keeskay had replied. ''We have been settled here for almost four thousand years!''. His face flushed with anger and shock.

''A mere eyeblink in history, completely irrelevant.'' the Eldar ambassador had replied. His helmet obscuring all of his features, his voice cold.

''This is my ultimatum, you are to leave Eilthean's Eye within twenty four of your hours, every last one of you, leave your structures behind, we shall remove them. If you do not comply you shall all die, every last one of you.'' he said simply. The alien's tone sent a shiver of panic up the spine of Keeskay.

Keeskay was aghast, what he was being asked to do was impossible. Putting aside the ridiculous request, he had little ships in orbit to transport the countless millions of people on the planet.

Even if he had the ships to do it they had no time, it would take several weeks imply to organize the massive worker-population to transport them to such a fleet. There was nothing he could do.

''Wait! Wait! Can't we come to an agreement?'' he shouted as the alien turned around and walked away. He walked on, ignoring Keeskay's cries. The Governor bridled in anger at the alien's arrogance at ignoring his words.

''Should I stop him?'' one of Keeskay's security troopers, a shaven brute of a man in carapace armor asked. Keeskay deliberated, claming himself down, anger would do not good for his state of mind.

''No, they have already given their message, killing him will change nothing.'' he said. He had no idea what kind of results killing the ambassador would bring, he already knew that there was going to be a war.

The great doors closed behind, leaving Keeskay, his bodyguards, and their advisors alone in the great, marble room. Keeskay broke out into a sweat. War was coming to his planet.

He had been warned by an Imperial Navy Astropath of the arrival of Waaaghh Grazsnik upon his world, he had already sent mobilization orders when the ambassador had scarcely arrived. Cold fear crept into his soul.

''Send out another astropathic message to all nearby Imperial units in the sector, anyone, Astartes, Navy, Crusade command, anyone, this war just got bigger.'' he finally said.

* * *

**Craftworld Lyssari-Far away**

Saiyra walked along the Chamber of Spirits on her way to the Council chamber of Craftworld Lyssari. This time she was in her formal Farseer robes.

At a mere four centuries she was quite young for an Eldar, especially an Eldar Farseer, but she was one of the seven that Lyssari boasted, an impressive number for such a smaller craftworld. Her silver hair glinted with black streaks, as it hung around her shoulders, framing her pale, elfin features. Her blue-green eyes flickered around, taking in details of the long Chamber passage.

Although she had traveled this path many times before, it never ceased to amaze her, the room was pure white, seemingly luminous, as if carved from moonlight itself. If one looked closer one could see minutiae inscriptions, invisible to first glance. Great elegant pillars supported the chamber, runes glowed on each, channeling the spirits of her long dead ancestors the great elder-spirits of Craftworld Lyssari. It was a magical place. The runes glowed out, reached for her psychic presence, it comforted her.

She, like the rest of Lyssari's high command had been called to a meeting. Ambassador Eathil had been delivered his message twenty-four human hours ago, it was now time for deliberations.

At the end of the passageway stood two Warlocks, their witchblades held close to their chests, their faces masked for war, a startling change from their usual peacetime clothes.

''Come Farseer.'' one said.

'I am here, you do not need to hurry me.'' she replied and with a mental jolt, the great, wraithbone doors opened and admitted her into the council dome.

The dome was seated on the highest point of the main bio-dome on Lyssari, hundreds of feet up from the Craftworld's surface. It was made of solid wraithbone and psychoplastics, along with the spirits stones of long dead Farseers. She could feel those spirits now, hovered at the edge of her consciousness, whispering at the deepest corners of her mind with ancient wisdom from the days before the Great Fall. A shiver ran up her spine at the sensation.

Then she took in the council dome itself. A large, circular meeting place, the floor below seemed to be made of a luminous, bluish white substance while the ceiling was transparent, swirling with the images of the vast void of space above. The wraithbone doors that led to and from this place stood, as if in the middle of a long field of blue-white. There was no wall connecting the doors, this was a place partially submerged within the webway. Only an Eldar could gain access here.

Over twenty Eldar stood in the middle of a large depression in the ground, sitting in graceful chairs that where seemingly carved out of the blue-white wraithbone floor itself. She took her seat.

Then across the dome, green energies flickered, out of almost invisible lines in the chamber, the spirits of the Infinity Circuit where now very active. This discussion was far more important. And with good reason, the past few decades had been very hazy and blurry, mostly the older Farseers had handled the events of the future, scrying to prevent the destruction of the Craftworld.

Now Eilthean's Eye had been rediscovered. The once thought long-lost paradise maiden world, a legend in the halls of Lyssari, had been rediscovered after it was thought that the Dark Kin had closed off the webway.

Eilthean's Eye was an old legend, a place where the Exodites resided, a maiden world that could be resettled in the far distant future for the Eldar of Lyssari, but the Dark Kin had spoiled the dream many millennia ago. Now it was rediscovered, the webway passages reopened. The discovered that Eithean's Eye still existed was now crushed by the shocking discovery that the Mon-Keigh had infested the planet.

Such a state of events could not be tolerated. They must be exterminated.

So the Council was met.

Nelaeryn, one of the Eldar Farseers was present, his snow white hair spilling down over his shoulders, faint wrinkles under his eyes, the only proof of his immense age of and wisdom. He was one of the oldest Eldar in the Craftworld.

Ondroth was next, his blonde hair pulled back, and his glinting eye of wraithbone gleaming out from his left socket, his psychic energy in the rune set in the middle offering him vision.

Zulae of the Gold was seated next to her, the other female on the council, she too had blonde hair, but cut it much shorter than any of her fellow Farseers, she too was in robes, colored Ochre.

Aolis, the last, and the next youngest was also present. He was the Grey Seer, his robes colored shades of grey and white, clean of any speck of dirt and marred only by the flashing color of his runes.

However the greatest of all Farseers, Ariyae and Revoan, the Twin Seers of Lyssari and the leaders of the council, were not here. Instead they where in the Core Chamber of Lyssari, at the heart of the Craftworld's Infinity Circuit.

A large statue of Asuryan, the dead leader-god of the Eldar, stood, carved out of solid wraithbone, channeled their presence over the minds of the Eldar meeting there. The twins never came themselves.

Multiple Warlocks, the chief battle-psykers, clustered near the Seers of the craftworld, but they where not what caught Saiyra's attention, her older Brother, Lythial was present, seated across from her. He held no attention to her, his face perfectly composed and claim, his black hair, tied back carefully, held by embroidered bands. The rune of Khaine was now on his forehead.

Lythial, one of the greatest commanders of Lyssari, the great and noble scion of one of the most ancient noble houses of the Craftworld, was her brother, her elder sibling. He was one of the chief Autarchs on the Craftworld. He had grown more and more distant from her. They rarely spoke now, though she often longed for his company. Was it her fault she wondered? For taking the path of the Seer? It certainly consumed much of her time.

Or was it Lythial's? His own duties as Autarch and leader of House Asteri took away what little time he had left. He was his own now, they where no longer young children in the Craftworld's garden-domes.

His fellow Autarch, Faelyn, the Banshee Autarch, was also armored like her fellow commander, her brilliant red hair pulled back in a suffusion of spikes, and her blue eyes colored by the fires of battle.

Delsaran, the remaining Autarch was also there. his face betraying nothing, his brown hair was also pulled back into a tight, military scalp cut. His posture quiet and reserved next to his fellow Autarchs.

A cluster of armored figures, the Chief Exarches of each War Shrine in Lyssari, were present, they wore armor, but had their helmets on. She knew some of their names from before they had donned the armor of the Exarch, but she felt no need to call them that. They where no longer Eldar really, their personalities where now submerged within the war suit, their sprits now dedicated entirely to the art of spilling blood for Khaine, the War God. In a certain level they scared her.

She had traveled other war paths. The Path of the Banshee, and the Path of the Dire Avenger, but she had always held fear in her soul of becoming too immersed in the maelstrom of violence and blood like the Exarches. She had feared Lythial too would become like them.

Eathil still stood, in his emerald and white robes. His face stern with contempt. ''As you can see, the time limit I have given for the Mon-keigh is up.'' he said simply.

''That means extermination?'' Delsaran asked.

''Correct,'' Zulae replied. ''The transgression of the Mon-keigh on Eilthean's Eye cannot be punished, it is sacred ground, such a suggestion cannot be tolerated.'' he replied.

''Should we interfere?'' Aolis questioned. ''We have many other concerns, the figures of the Great Enemy play often across the runes of fate when I cast them. ''he explained.

''As said before, Eilthean's Eye cannot be ignored,'' Zulae went on. ''Every human foot rests on Eithean's Eye, is an insult to the dignity of our people, our land had been taken and defiled.'' she explained.

''You saw the disgusting human huts and shanties they have erected, their so-called cities, the World Spirits of Eilthean's Eye screams in pain at the mutilation done to it.'' she said.

''We've all seen the damage, yes,'' Aolis concluded. ''But cannot we deal with it later? We cannot throw about our manpower frivolously.'' he stated.

''_**We have a reason.''**_ chimed in the twin voices of Ariyae and Revoan. The discussion instantly turned to the great statue.

Saiyra could feel the energies coming from the statue, the souls of the two great Eldar leaders twisting out invisibility to touch her mind. It was a warm feeling that sent shivers of comfront up her spine.

''**We have cast our own runes of fate,''** the voice of Revoan sounded. **''We will have need of Eilthean's Eye soon enough.''**

''What kind of need?'' Lythial asked.

''_A great catastrophe, one that will prove to be a vital danger to this craftworld.''_ Ariyae said.

''Cannot we simply move aside or manipulate this threat away?'' Aolis asked.

''**This thread will find us,''** Revoan replied. **''Regardless of what we seen, we have been observing these runes for a long time now, trying to find which is a false path of the future and which is not.'' **he explained.

''_But one thing remains clear regardless, Eilthean's Eye in important, it is a key element in the fate of Lyssari, there is no doubt about this,''_ Ariyae finished. _''Do you concur Nelaeryn?''_ she asked mentally.

''I do.'' the old Farseer answered shortly and curt, among the Craftworld he was the most powerful and senior Seer next to the great Spirit-Twins. His word was not taken lightly.

''Then there is no doubt then,'' Ondroth proclaimed. ''To ensure our Craftworld's survival we must cleanse these humans from the world.'' he said.

''So soon? Can we not move them? Convince them to leave?'' Sairya surprised herself by speaking up for the first time. It was somewhat disconcerting to speak amongst such an august personage, especially Ariyae and Revoan, who had not appeared in almost eighty years.

''Why should we? The humans have cut at our pride, and ignored our warnings.'' Zulae shot back.

''A single day is not enough for a warning.'' Saiyra argued.

''Zulae is right,'' Lythial said quietly. Saiyra was stunned into silence. ''If not for our pride then these Mon-keigh would most likely refuse an offer, then have never left before.'' he stated.

''**You are correct, High Autarch.''** Revoan's voice sounded.

''_The humans ever proved themselves to be an ignorant blight upon the galaxy, they grow and destroy, spreading like a plague, in that aspect that are similar to the greenskins.''_ Ariyae commented.

''**They are more of a hindrance than a help in combating the Great Enemy, in the end they cannot be trusted on the rare occasions they listen to our warnings,''** Revoan continued. **''Even their so-called ''Emperor'' ignored us and paid the price.''**

''_**Therefore, Brothers and Sisters, the only option to ensure the survival of Lyssari and salvage our bloodied pride is to wage war.''**_ they both commanded.

''So, again, total extermination?'' Delsaran commented again.

''Of course,'' Faelyn responded eagerly, feelings of Khaine's bloodlust creeping into her voice. ''Mon-keigh are vermin, and when you have vermin in your home you kill them all, that is simple.''

''_**Indeed, these discussions here are finished, we go now, cleanse Eithean's Eye for the good of our people.''**_ Ariyae and Revoan responded for the last time and then the spirit lights in the Statue of Asuryan dimmed.

With that the various Eldar began to leave, getting up and moving to prepare for the inevitable assault of Eilthean's Eye, Saiyra was the last to leave, staring distantly into the wraithbone floors.

A war of extermination? Although the Council had accepted the reasoning, which she found herself somewhat reluctantly agreeing with. However she wondering whether this was the best course of actions. Saiyra herself held little love for the Mon-keigh, she had seen them before, their brutish, misshaped bodies, their awkward manner of walking, and crude, poisonous technology, but even she could admit they made useful allies.

But that time was at an end. She could feel the war-spirit of the Eldar overtaking her, the call of war sang in her veins.

It was time.


	2. Skyfire

**Author's Notes: My apologies for the late release. College has taken a lot from me. Also, for some reason this site is not centering the bolded locations.**

**

* * *

**

**Claws's Duty-Skyfire**

* * *

**Sword of the Emperor**

Basiclus had many hobbies.

One was writing and reading, the Captain spent many long hours in his private quarters, reading and re-reading the Codex Astartes. His own personal copy was now heavily dog-earned. Basiclus also read as many volumes of the Tactica Imperium he could get his hands on. He collected military texts and histories all across the Imperium, from other chapters and military institutions.

In Basiclus's mind, no piece of military knowledge was irrelevant. The Tactica, the Codex, the Catechisms Martial, the original military accounts of the Great Crusade, and various drill manuals. He read all of them.

He also wrote.

The Aquila Bellicoso was a series of volumes penned by the Chapter's officers over the millennia, as a series of tactical commentaries and observations on the nature of warfare over the millennia since the chapter's founding. It did not replace the Codex Astartes. Far from it, most line brothers regarded the Codex first and left the Aquila Bellicoso to the officers of the Chapters. It served more as a nature of side-commentaries on various philosophies of warfare.

It contained commentaries of battles, the tactics used, the preferred way on commanding troops, which tactics from the Codex to use, how to use which weapons to combat which foe and the nature of the enemy. Basiclus had already sent in application to write the entry on the Tau, cataloging their fighting style and weaponry, as well as the best tactics to be used to defeat them. The core basis had already been formed from combat data sent to them by other Chapters, most notably the Ultramarines and Sable Swords.

But the Eagle Claws still needed hard combat experience, the Chapter Master had the marines of the 2nd mingle purposely, to teach their fellow battle brothers the way of combating this new race.

''What are you thinking about?'' Pullo asked them as they both polished pieces of armor.

Basiclus's other hobby was polishing pieces of armor plate. He often spent hours in the _Sword_ tending to his armor, and then heading out to clean and oil various artificer pieces alongside the Chapter serfs and Techmarines. He and Pullo where old friends, both of them had been squad sergeants countless decades ago in the Sixth Company, both had fought together many times in hundreds of different battles.

''Mass is soon, we might have to clean up.'' Basiclus commented putting away a piece of armor plate. He grabbed a greave and began on that, taking a polishing rag and a set of lapping oils.

Both where sitting in stools deep with the Sword's armory. Both where armored, the sheer dexitiry of a marine's armor allowing them to finish polishing with remarkable ability.

''That's not what I'm asking,'' Pullo replied. ''You've been starting to avoid me ever since the Trial, don't tell me that has got you down?'' he asked him.

''Not, it's not just that, it's Patorius, he's looking out for mistakes you know.'' Basiclus replied, referring to the Master of Sanctity's presences aboard the ship. Garuda had assigned him to personally watch over his ''spiritual health''.

''What's so bad about that? If you really are innocent and loyal then it's no problem.'' Pullo commented starting on a helmet.

''It's not that,'' Basiclus finished his greave and grabbed another. ''It's just the feeling of distrust, I've fought alongside the Chapter Master for over two centuries now.'' he complained.

''You feel he distrusts you after all that you have done?'' The sixth captain inquired.

''No, it's not that exactly, the feeling is their, but the logical part of my brain says ''No'', Basiclus replied.

''Garuda's just afraid for you, in a way, you and Antigonus argue like cat and dogs, he just does not want any kind of deviance or schism in the chapter.'' Pullo supplied helpfully.

''I won't ever betray the chapter.'' Basiclus voice rose reflexively.

''I meant no insult, but the great Chapter Master might see otherwise, rebellions have started for less reasons that yours.'' Pullo reminded.

Basiclus gave a sigh of frustration and put away the greave, resting his hands on his knees. ''I will never betray the Chapter, I would never shame myself like that, I would rather die.'' he spoke.

''As said before, I don't question your loyalty.''

''Then what do you want me to do?'' the Second Captain inquired.

''Just act yourself, except tone down your confrontations with Antigonus.'' Pullo replied.

''Guilliman's blood, I will never know how an ass like Alexander became a Captain in the first place.'' Basiclus sighed.

''We all do Juilan, it is one of life's great mysteries we will never solve.'' Pullo replied.

''Such a sad thing at that.'' Basiclus commented

''Indeed.''

They were quiet for a few moments.

''The entire chapter is here.'' Pullo started slowly.

''Or at least most of it.'' Basiclus corrected.

''Okay, not the entire chapter, but most of it, eight hundred Astartes is a fearsome force.'' The Sixth Captain replied.

''When was the last time you saw anything close to this?'' Basiclus asked.

''Yargas II?'' Pullo ventured.

''I was thinking Ryza, eighty years ago, damn near the entire chapter in that Crusade.'' Basiclus fondly recalled.

''You still commanded the Sixth back then, before you where promoted to take up the Second, it seems so nostalgic now……….'' Pullo recalled.

''Yes, it does.'' Basiclus remembered the glory days, him as a newly promoted captain, leading the Sixth in the great war that covered the Mechanicus's Forge World of Ryza.

He remembered the great metallic spires of the forge-cities. The huge plasma reactors and the fortresses of the Legio Crucius, the homes of the massive god machines that populated the world. He remembered the legions of Imperial Guard. Catachans, Malnians, Vahallans, Cadians, Jourans, Mordians, brave souls and fighters, worthy allies in the fight against the greenskin foe.

He recalled with some distain the mechanical soldiers of the Mechanicus, marching forward in drone-like formations, matching the orks in a war of attrition. He remembered their amazing and awe-inspiring war machines. He remembered the defense of the Styix Genetor, the main base of the Magos Genetors that the Eagle Claws had maintained such close relations with the Biologis. He himself masterminded the defense with only the Sixth Company.

That was one of the last actions that finally convinced Chapter Master Garuda to promote him to the commander of one of the Battle Companies. He remembered that event fondly.

''Is the ork horde really that tough? To require a crusade army and most of the chapter?'' Pullo asked.

''You saw the briefing, I would say it is.''

The chronometer chimed on the wall. Basiclus looked out at it.

''We just arrived in system, let's prepare.''

* * *

**Chapel of the Primogenitors-**_**Sword of the Emperor**_

Chemosian was in the chapel of the Primogenetors. He was alone.

He was seated in the pews with dozens of other marines from the 2nd company, along with others from the 6th and 10th who had come to offer last minute prayers to the Emperor and Primarch right before they exited from the warp. Despite the presence of dozens of his battle brothers, he felt alone, as if they where in the distance, leaving him isolated in his own thoughts. His mind and soul where isolated, that was for sure.

After he had recovered from his ordeal on Karovioa, he had underwent strict testing by the Chapter's Librarians, who issued a stern warning along with a punishment brand on his left shoulder, as a mark of penitence. It was an upside down chapter symbol crossed with a skull, it was burned into his left shoulder, just above the bicep. All marines in the chapter knew what that meant, a severe infraction.

Unlike his Captain, Chemosian had not been as lucky as to gotten off with a very light punishment, for his eternal soul was put as risk with his reckless use of his unrestrained powers. He had done it out of vengeance of Nikarnus, a stupid, illogical, wasteful act that not only nearly killed him, but nearly cost him his immortal soul. Yet despite that logic, Chemosian felt like that was the right thing to do.

Nikarnus was not dead, his body had been recovered and put into a Dreadnought sarcophagus. He would become one of the Chapter ancients fighting once more. But it would not be the same. From the moment a marine enters a Dreadnought they could no longer be considered truly alive. As the years pass their experiences begin to warp and grow blurrier and blurrier to them.

Eventually it would get to the point where Nikarnus would have trouble recognizing his friend. He could instead see others as Chemosian or believe he was still alive on some battlefield. That was of course assuming Chemosian survived as long as Nikarnus, Dreadnought sarcophagus kept their occupants alive much longer than even the extended lifespan of normal marines.

So for all intends and purposes, Nikarnus might have well as been dead for Chemosian. He now felt truly alone in this room.

He knew the names of the battle brothers around him, he knew their faces, their ranks, and personalities. He could, if he chose to, to read their minds and learn their secrets hidden by mental defenses. But he felt like their was a void between him and his brothers, a rift that grew. It was like a barrier was present, blocking him from truly connecting with other people. In turn he did not think he wanted to in the first place.

Nikarnus had been an attachment, and now Nikarnus was dead, or at least as good as dead to him. For now he felt truly alone, now more than ever, even when he had first entered the Librarium. A part of him felt broken and gone. He wanted the guidance of the Emperor in this. He had not paid anything more than the regular required thanks to humanity's savior. But how he felt he needed his guidance more than ever.

He felt Patorius's eyes upon him. The Master of Sanctity had traveled to the _Sword of the Emperor_ on Garuda's orders, obstinately to minter the spiritual health of the Second and Sixth companies.

That was not all he was for, Chemosian knew that he was here to assess Basiclus's performance in the upcoming campaign, to make sure he stayed true to the official doctrines and to watch himself, to monitor him in case he fell into the warp again. Patronius had taken the liberty of conducting today's mass in the name of the God-Emperor. Britannicus stood behind him, hands folded behind his back, looking over the assembled marines.

Chemosian knew they would be dropping soon.

''Lord Emperor, Father of the Astartes, Father of Guilliman,'' he toned mentally. ''Show me my path, show me a way so that I can escape this nightmare of lifelessness.'' he spoke mentally to himself.

''Become the blade that will cut through my ignorance, become the path to show me the way, oh Emperor.'' He prayed.

He would overcome, he always had before. The life of a psyker was a hard one. The life of one that was a hairsbreadth from damnation harder still. But he had endured such hardships before. He would endure this one.

He hoped.

* * *

**Command Bridge of the Sword of the Emperor**

Basiclus exited, clad in his full armor, cleaned from his earlier polishing. He wore a red cloak and had the sword of Solomon Herito belted in a mag-link at his side. He also wore his bolt pistol and a servitor carried his helmet behind him. Pullo was similarly armed, but with an ornate lighting claw selected from the armories aboard the Battlebarge. He wore a blue cloak with a silver clasp in the shape of an Eagle's head.

Chemosian was there also, armored and robed. He carried his force sword, Vasioran, with him. He had no helmet, instead allowing his psychic hood to frame his face as his green eyes gazed across the bridge. Britannicus stood at the head of the company sergeants, clad in his ornate black and purple armor. He wore a normal power pack this time and had his helmet on, masking his face with the fearsome skull visage.

The Master of Sanctity Patorius was also their, he wore an ornate suit of Terminator armor, his own helmet by his side, his flinty face with an augmetic right jaw, stared at Basiclus. His crozius, shaped like the chapter's symbol, was at his side. The bridge of the Sword was a well-lit and ornate chamber fifteen meters high. The whole bridge was split into a nave with other crew and support stations to other side of the nave.

Purple and grey clad menials and servitors attended to the runic screens and holo displays, monitoring the ship's condition and current heading course as it moved in system. A wide observations port, wreathed by carved stone gargoyles, was open before the assembled Eagle Claws, showing the blue-green orb that rested in front of the Battlebarge.

Sarfenus Prime.

There was something else too.

''We have detected another fleet.'' one of the menials announced.

''What do the sensors say?'' Captain Orebus said. Orebus was a normal human, dressed in an amethyst uniform trimmed with gold, a reflection of the power armor of the marines. He was a normal human, but one vital to the chapter.

Orebus and the rest of the Chapter serfs aboard the _Sword _crewed and ran it, Astartes where made for fighting, commanding in a space battle would effectively make their genetic enhancements and power armor a waste. Technically, Basiclus was the commanding officer of the _Sword_, with Orebus as second in command. However in practice Orebus captained the ship, a situation both parties where satisfied with.

Eight blips showed up on a holo-screen that superimposed itself on the viewbay of the _Sword_. They where around Sarfenus.

''They do not match up to Imperial transponder codes at all.'' the menial reported.

''It has to be orks then.'' concluded Basiclus.

Pullo scratched his chin. ''Mehhhhhh, it seems too small to be a massive Waaaagggh, surely the PDF could hold an invasion that size?'' he questioned.

''It is probably the first ships exited from the Warp, just like we are, the rest of the fleet should be behind us shortly by the estimations of our Navigator'' Orebus explained to the Astartes.

''When will the rest of the ork fleet show up then?'' Basiclus asked. ''We don't really know now do we?'' he asked.

''Correct, but it's best to move into orbit, we can still get there.'' Orebus suggested.

''Then let us do that,'' Patronius spoke, his voice rumbling. ''It would be best to fortify the place when we got there, or at least be present around the orbit in case the greenskins attempt to attack the _Sword_''

Orebus shouted orders to the crew around him, hurriedly officers bellowed commands and orders as the mighty battlebarge came closer through space to come into Sarfenus's Prime's planetary orbit.

* * *

**A half hour later-Sarfenus Orbit**

The _Sword's_ scanners quickly detected the rest of the fleet emerging from the warp in system, while the same came true for the ork fleet that was now moving in system as well. Unlike the Imperials, the orks had moved off from the rest of the planet, moving out of low orbit and not even attempting to intercept the _Sword_ at all. Taking advantage of this the battle barge moved in orbit by the dark side of the moon.

The marines had now moved into the launch bays of the Thunderhawks and drop pods. The Second and Sixth companies where readying themselves for rapid insertion into the planet below. As the _Sword_ moved into low orbit on the opposite side of the planet that the ork fleetlay wait , the Eagle Claws soon received a transmission from one of the commn stations on the planet's orbital defense grid after identifying themselves.

Basiclus was preparing to move inside his command drop pod when the transmission came.

''My lord, we just managed to patch you into Imperial command below,'' Orebus's voice came in. The transmission screen in the command podium of the embarkation bay flickered to life.

''Make it quick then,'' Pullo suggested to Basiclus who was reviewing the state of the pods right before the drop. The Sixth Captain then walked away, putting on his own helmet as he joined his own pod group.

''This is Sarfenus High Command. Magister-Colonel Arteior speaking.'' the officer's voice was female, with a somewhat scratchy tone that Basiclus's knew came from ilo-sticks. The transmission was audio only.

''This is PDF?'' he asked.

''Correct, I must say it's an honor to speak with an Astartes-'' she began.

''Please spare me your praise, what is the tactical situation?'' he asked bluntly, he had no time for diplomacy.

The line was quiet for a few moments. ''I apologize Sir Astartes-'' she said.

''I am Brother Captain Julian Basiclus, that is my rank and name, you do not need to refer to me as ''Sir Astartes'' forgive me for not introducing myself earlier.'' he said.

A slight cough sounded on the other end. ''It's fine, The Greenskins have already landed at the Staros North Collectives, two cities are gone, along with a few dozen production towns and lesser collectives.'' she stated.

''The loss in productivity was quite devastating,'' Basiclus could hardly care. ''And of the current threat?'' he asked.

''An ork assault is heading towards New Mardan City'' she said. Basiclus quickly checked the location from the old maps of Sarfenus that the archives of the _Sword_ had contained, they popped up on the viewscreen.

He squinted. These where woefully out of date, made almost two hundred years ago, but he spotted the location she was talking about easily enough, it was some distance away from the main capital. The location was also boarded by a river. From what he had been able to gather it looked like a good defensive position. ''I assume everything is gone north of that?'' Basiclus asked seeing the Northern Collectives printed above New Mardan.

''Correct, we estimate the ork army is around sixty thousand strong at Mardan, and they are approaching quite rapidly.'' she explained.

''Good, inform the troops at the city that we will be arriving-'' the Second Captain began.

''We don't' need you there right now.'' Arteior cut him off.

''What?'' Basiclus was surprised. ''Why not?''

''We received orders that you where to be redirected to here.'' a list of coordinates was fed into the machine.

''Who orders Astartes?'' Basiclus asked her, having a sneaking suspicion of who it was.

As if answering him the insignia of the Ordo Xenos appeared on the viewscreen. Basiclus sighed. As a member of the Adeptus Astartes, he was free to ignore such a thing, at least officially. However ignoring Inquisitorial authority generally brought recompressions upon whoever did it. The Inquisition could make life hard for the Eagle Claws through other ways than charges of heresy.

Such as rerouting to Mechanicus's supplies, ruining the honor bound reputation of the Eagle Claws, and launching investigations into Chapter business, all of which the chapter did not need. He would come, he decided, with his forces, and find all what this as about. Guilliman help him, if this was some trivial power play reason then he was going leave straight to he front.

That probably would not be exactly what Chapter Law governed, but Basiclus had a feeling that Chapter Master Garuda and the others would understand.

''Captain, this site is also under attack.'' Arteior informed him.

Well that makes things better, the Captain thought. ''By who?'' he asked.

''Eldar.''

* * *

**Talsten Dig site**

Talsten was a small town, dedicated to production of ore that fueled the big factories at Orsen's Gap and the Capital city. But it had never really been bit on importance in the grand scheme of things. Until four months ago, when ancient xenos artifacts had been discovered in a gully north of the town. Immediately the Governor had sent in a regiment of PDF and several Administratum adepts and evacuated the town's populace.

The whole thing was locked down, nobody in or out. Xenos artifacts on a planet usually became a target of the Inquisition or Rogue Traders who came or seize the artifact in the former, or sell them on the Black Market in the latter case. Whatever the reason a fluffy of excavation at the Governor's orders came as the artifacts in question where found to match that of the xenoform Eldar. The Governor intended to dig them all up and deliver them at the hands of the nearest Segmentum fortress.

Fortunately his decision where already decided for him, three weeks ago a black ship had appeared in system, and transmitted several important codes to the Planetary Defense force lasers.

The ship then landed at the Talsten dig site and the small collection of figures came out, presenting themselves to the PDF sentries. One of them had an Inquisitorial rosette which was shown to the guards. The Inquisitor then spoke to be let in. The voice that came was female, but it chilled the spines of the PDF. Quickly they let her in to the command tent of Colonel Hartman.

What went on in the tent, none of the PDF troopers knew. But when the colonel and Inquisitor emerged the man was pale and shaken. He ordered that every asset be given to the disposal of the Ordo Xenos. The Inquisitor took up resistance in the town's only hotel, her servants creating a perimeter around the building. The PDF troopers wisely avoided the place with good reason, None of them wanted to get on the Inquisition's bad side.

And so the Inquisition had redirected their efforts at the dig. However it was shortlived.

Trooper Clannigan ran along, cold sweat pouring down his face as he turned and stumbled, firing off snap shots from his lasgun at the pursuing shapes at the end of the street. He did not intend for this when he was conscripted into the Planetary defense forces. He, a common wheel stamper from Vilhelmsberg, had been randomly selected, like so many others, to join the armed forces.

He hadn't been good enough to make the grade of the Guard, but he had been good enough for the 27th Line regiment. And he had been posted here, At Talsten, some backwater little down. Something stepped behind him. He did not turn around but ran around the corner into a nearby parking lot for groundcars. The parking lot was now almost completely empty.

They had came, he recalled, when he was on guard duty outside the Inquisitor's house, tall ethereal figures bad simply come out of the night and began slaughtering the men of the 27th Line with ease. He knew the tales of the xenos breeds from local taverns in Vilhelmsberg. But the name of the Eldar was always whispered in half awe and half fear. He had certainly not bleived the tales of the mysterious aliens.

Now he knew. The men of the 27th where trained soldiers, with a good collection of mercenaries and ex-Guard veterans that the Governor had managed to get several years back.

The Eldar went through them like a knife through hot butter.

Clannigan had been called form his post by a hurried vox-communication from Colonel Hartman, before he was cut off in a burst of static, he scarcely had time to assemble in a nearby dig site with the rest of his platoon before the aliens attacked. Slender figures clad in blue and white armor and wielding odd-looking rifles came upon him. Near-invisible streams cut through the air, slicing apart Guardsmen like they where made of paper.

It was only now he realized those guns did not fire streams. Instead it was hundreds upon hundreds of tiny blades. Those guns tore through flesh and flak armor alike with ease. It was terrifying.

Hovering bikes soared overhead and cut the rest of his platoons to pieces, with those same guns. He had turned and ran, the Eldar ignoring him as they slaughtered the rest of his platoon.

The sharp crackle of lasgun fire had reached his ears as he ran down the cobblestone of Talsten and past abandoned housed and security points. He ran past troopers who where slaughtered by Eldar weapon fire. He saw a screaming Commissar bisected by glowing swords wielded by feminine figures in bone and blue plate armor. He saw the Inquisitorial stormtroopers slaughtered en-mass by more blue armored alien infantrymen.

Even the Sisters of the Bloody Rose, thirty of them brought by the Inquisitor, died as Eldar walkers tore thought houses and fences and blew them apart with whirling lasers and missiles.

All around him the Imperial defense was falling.

And now one of the xenos was pursing him.

He tripped and hit the side of a car. He turned around, fingers twisting for his lasgun trigger, then the weapon was torn out of his hands and he was lifted bodily up to the side of the groundcar. He started in terror at a tall alien figure, clad entirely in green armor plate. The xenos's face was masked by a slit-visored helmet and his head wreathed in strange dreadlock extensions.

His right arm was some sort of wicked looking pincer. The other was a almost-normal looking hand that clutched Clannigan's collar and hoisted him up nearly a foot to meet the alien's gaze.

He was going to die.

In the distance a new sound emerged. Something other than screams, the crackle of lasguns, or the whirling death of the Eldar guns. Vast streaks plummeted through the skies on wings of fire. e glanced to the side in terror as these new comets, over a dozen of them went through the sky. They crested the heavens even as dawn appeared over the horizon of Sarfenus.

It was almost beautiful, he through dimly in his fearful state. The Striking Scorpion holding him slew him with a single blow before casting aside Clannigan's carcass like so much trash.

* * *

**Talsten flats, two Miles from Talsten proper**

The Eldar strikeforce was commanded by Warlock Vethial, a longstanding veteran of Lyssari who had fought with the craftworld's many enemies over the long centuries. He had just over nine hundred Eldar to take out over three thousand mon-keigh. e had succeeded in his orders,. The Autarchs of the Craftworld had decreed that the humans occupying the dig sites should not survive. Specialist strike groups had been sent to take care of the enemy.

Much of the Guardian reserve on the Craftworld had been mobilized, while most of the Aspect Warriors had been mustered The Runes of War where cast and Lyssari prepare to do battle. The craftworld itself had not been present in the Sarfenus system, instead sending several small hosts through the Webway gates on the planet, with instruction to protect their only artifacts from the humans under the cover of the ork attack.

Vethial had done his jobwell, his force had surprised and scattered the mon-keigh with a single swift strike. Most of the humans where slaughtered with ease, with minimal casualties for the Eldar.

Then the Eagle Claws arrived.

Over two dozen Deathstorm drop pods landed among the Guardian reserves of the Eldar attack. The aliens had come with the Aspect warriors first, forming the spearhead of the attack The Deathstorm pods landed along Excavation site 3-14, , their sides dropped and the barrels of assault cannons and Deathwind pattern missile launchers glinted as they opened fire into the Guardians.

At the rear of the Eldar assault, the Guardians numbered over five hundred, all of them scattered over the low lying dirt beds and shattered tents of the Imperial exaction teams. Scores died from the massed fire. Then in the sky, more pods appeared, screaming at supersonic speeds as the machine spirits in each pod's central cortex took in ground data being fed to them from the Deathstorms and altered their courses.

Not a single drop pod collided with the Deathstorms below. As they came down the marine spirits of each gunnery pod automatically shut down as the IFF signals of each Eagle Claws pod came play. The sides of the pods blew and Basiclus was out, his command squad following. He snapped over several bursts with his storm bolter, blowing apart several guardians in the distance as his armor's targeting spirits locked on.

The Orkskull banner of the Second flew in the air. The Eagle Claws like any other chapter, maintained dozens of banners for both chapter and company level, the orkskull one had been fashioned sixty years ago during the Ryza Crusade, it depicted a shining knight driving a sword into an ork skull. His vox-channels in his armor opened up. Their was a brief crackle as each squad sergeant in the second came in a stream of combat-cant, each reporting their squad's readiness in Asclepieion combat cant.

A brief glance at Pullo showed that he was receiving the same reports. Patorius exited his drop pod with his Terminator squad in attendance. They opened up with their storm bolters as the rest of the Eagle Claws came in. Squads of marines moved into different firing positions along the exaction site, seeking the best firepoints as they laid down a severe suppression fire to pin the Eldar Guardians down.

Meanwhile squads of Eagle Claws headed forward with bolters set on full-auto and flamers readied. These tactical squads pushed through the excavation site, flushing out and eliminating groups of xenos. Scattered and broken by the first Deathstorm assault, the Eldar Guardians where quickly pinned down by the fire of the Eagle Claws and destroyed peicemental in a swift infantry assault.

In less than ten minutes the xenos where withdrawing, bloodied and battered, scores of corpses littered the exaction sites. Basiclus barked orders over his helmet systems for squads to be on overwatch as the Second and Sixth moved up. Pullo met him as they crested the lip of a small ridge. Using his armor's vision enhancements, Basiclus spotted the forms of the Eldar Guardians disappearing it the outer edges of a distant forest, bolter fire taking the rear stragglers down with pinpoint single shots.

''Have we received word in the enemy's grav armor?'' Basiclus asked, referring to the six grav-tanks and twelve grav-transports they aided in the initial assault. The Eldar transports had been spotted from orbit along with the attack force.

''None from my squads, yours?'' asked Pullo.

''No, we should get some 'hawks down here soon enough.'' replied Basiclus. A screaming sound responded as his prayers were answered in the forms of several large Thunderhawks swooped down from the dawn skies.

The Imperials had air support here, for some reason the Eldar could not bring their infamous aircraft to play, whether it was out of some twisted form of alien arrogance or the fact that they where unable to have access to such craft, Basiclus did not know. However he was not about to argue with his good fortune. The dawn light peeked over the ridges of deep pits of the excavation site as the purple and grey battle plate of the Astartes shone. Basiclus took in the sight, ingest the sight of the new terrain.

In the distance, colorful lithe figures fell back among the town's buildings. Their graceful bodies retreating like quicksilver past the squat, brutish forms of the prefabricated Imperial buildings.

''Move in! Flanking and enfilading positions! The Thunderhawks will cover us.'' Baislcus went on listing commanding to the various sergeants of his company to move in and begin securing the town.

* * *

**Talsten- Commercial District**

The Falcon exploded as the Thunderhawks's guns finally tracked it successfully. The heavy bolters and lascannon from the heavily armed aircraft tore the retreating grav-tank to pieces as the destroyed Eldar vehicle tumbled to earth far above the rooftops. Another Falcon rose gracefully, it's pulse lasers and Starcannon tearing into the armor plating of the Marine Thunderhawk, the flyer wobbled as the craft's armor resisted the damage.

Several shafts of light stabbed downwards from an Eagle Claws's devastator squad on the ground. The lascannon rounds tore into the underside of the Eldar grav tank and ripped out's through it's innards, smoking the vehicle also fell from the sky. Quickly, the Devastator team fell back into cover as two squads of Dire Avengers advanced, firing from cover as they did so, green armored Striking Scorpions also came along, half concealed in the shadowed as they closed on the Devastators. The forms of three War Walkers strode behind pulse laser blazing.

The Deavastor Squad, Halteker, was supported by two tactical squads from Pullo's Sixth hunkered down in the wide plaza, trading fire with the Eldar warriors who responded with their own alien weapons. Two Astartes where slain as multiple Eldar weapons tore into their bodies through their armor joints. Others fell back, razor-thin Eldar projectiles finding their ways into armor joints to wound

Bolter fire slew several Eldar warriors who advanced, the heavy rounds punching through the weaker sections of the alien plate, but others where moving too fast for the Astartes weapons to track. They where in a bad spot, Halteker though as he fired his bolter again, ordering his squad to spread out. He prepared to launch a few frag grenades to keep the Eldar on their toes, when a rune lit up on his helmet visor.

Jump packs screamed as Squads Felix and Gallus, both Assault squads of the 10th, landed, bolt pistols opening up as the flamers that each squad carried sent a raging inferno into the Eldar lurking in cover. The effectively was immediately, the Eldar where rapidly outflank and hit hard. Halteker bellowed orders to take out the War Walker, a pair of lascannon beams answered him, reducing the Eldar machine to scrap.

The Eldar warriors, as if recognizing that they were in a losing battle, fled back gracefully as the Assault marines closed in with chainswords, the toothed weapons whirled as the Second Company assault warriors closed in, but the Eldar were too fast, although several more fell the bulk retreated successfully.

Main Square

A Thunderhawk flew overhead, the gunship's weapons blazing, blowing apart a dozen Eldar Guardians entrenched in a broken relay station, two more Thunderhawks followed, destroying another Falcon. Basiclus looked on grimly, he was leading five tactical squads from two companies and Squad Livus along with his command squad into the heart of the Eldar resistance, which the Imperials had discovered to be in the central transportation district of the town.

Basiclus had fought Eldar before a few times, they were an elusive and cowardly species who fought for their own unfathomable goals. They where both ally and enemy to the Imperium.

Now they were the enemy.

He was in the abandoned remains of an outhouse, a pair of krak missiles destroyed it earlier, leaving the sides blown away, the corpses of the Eldar Aspect Warriors who had taken cover there where also present. Basiclus was monitoring the battle, taking fire, directing his commands when it was needed, but for the most part he was content to let his squad sergeants act independently and apply their own skills.

He fired his storm bolter once more, sending a blue and white shape lurking at the edge of a large water fountain reeling back. His command squad followed his example, sending more suppression fire to allow a Combat squad to move up. His armor's sensors flashed in his helm and Basiclus whirled around, spotting the forms of several green-armored Eldar warriors come out of the shadows. Striking Scorpions, Basiclus recognized, they must have sneaked up from behind.

He unsheathed his power sword as the first Striking Scorpion lunged as him, he brought his swordblade around to sever the flicking chainsword blow, but the xenos parried with inhuman speed. Basiclus reserved the stroke and tried again, his power field flared as he got a direct hit this time, the blade carving through the blade and the tip ripping through the chest of the green-armored warrior.

The Eldar dropped to the ground, his blood spilling out of his mutilated torso. Another Eldar warrior came up from Basiclus's side, the chainsword struck his artificer armor. Sparks flew as the xenos warriors pressed his advantage, but Basiclus's armor was far too resistant for such a blow to penetrate. The captain whirled around, bringing his storm bolter at close range, the Striking Scorpion jinked out of the way of the barrel, but Basiclus was only feinting with his gun, his other arm brought his power sword around.

The glowing power field of the blade, cut through the helmet of the Edar warrior, bisecting his skull from eyes up, the enemy warrior dropped without a sound. But another was coming in. This was an enemy champion, his armor more detailed and elaborate. His right gauntlet ended in a large pincer that glowed with an energy field, the other fired a close range shuriken pistol at Basiclus.

The rounds failed to do anything but knock him briefly back, but that was enough time for the powered claw to strike at Basiclus, quickly the captain blocked with his relic sword, abandoning his gun for a two handed grip. He held back the enemy's blow, his superior position forcing back the Eldar warrior, who had lost the momentum of the charge. The powered claw flickered with energy as Basiclus's own field clashed with it.

Claw and blade locked together for several seconds before the xenos warriors tried to bring his gun about, desperately he aimed it at Basiclus's visor lenses, but Basiclus brought his sword around, severing the limb as he wretched it out of the Eldar warrior's grasp. The armored gauntlet of the enemy warrior fell to the ground, along with a crimson streak of Eldar blood. The enemy warrior was struck dumb for a split second by the pain, but he began to recover very quickly, however that split second was all Basiclus needed as he brought his sword around.

The tip impaled itself through the Eldar warrior's stomach as he tired to rip away. The dying Eldar warrior lashed out, his power claw heading towards Basiclus on one last attempt to kill him. However a field of enemy sounded Basiclus as his Iron Halo activated. Rapidly, Basiclus withdrew the blade and beheaded the Eldar warrior, sending the corpse crashing to the ground. The Astartes captain wasted no time into running back to the melee to aid his command squad.

* * *

**Eldar Command**

Vethial stared out in the distance as the purple and grey armored mon-keigh who moved among the ruins, engaging in firefights with his strike force. The sun played brilliantly on their armor. At first the attack had came swiftly, and Vethial was proud of that, but then the enhanced mon-keigh warriors had arrived and launched a surprise attack, something that the Seers did not predict at all.

Most worrying.

His cold, stern face was masked by his warlock helm as he regarded the state of his force, his bodyguard of Dire Avengers stood close by, weapons at ready, but there was no mon-keigh here. A Wave Serpent transport exploded in the distance as one of the mon-keigh flying craft screamed overhead. It was a pity, Vethial mused, that they had not been able to bring any kind of flying craft with them.

A few Nightwings would have turned the whole aerial superiority around, however the webway gate that they used was one of the few that worked on this world and was quite small, they could barley fit in transports and a war-walker.

Vethial considered his options as the telepathic messages from his squad leaders and attending Exarchs came in. They were being pushed back all along the town. Which in itself was bad enough. But to withdraw now would leave the artifacts of the first settlers behind, and that was added insult to the injury. Vethial had hoped to completely wipe out the human garrison here and retrieve the artifacts.

That looked like it would not happen. Rapidly Vethial stretched his psychic senses and gave a command through the spirit-network of the Eldar forces under his command. His instructions where concise and simple. Rapidly the entire Eldar force melted off as the rays of the dawn stretched over the horizon, taking what wounded and bodies that they would. Within ten minutes they left the town boarders for the surrounding hills.

The battle was over.


End file.
